Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, her mother Vrinda Rai and mother-in-law Jaya Bhachchan pose for a photograph during a promotional event for Kochadaiiyaan in Mumbai. (AFP Photo)

Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan along with her mother, Brindya Rai during the curtain raiser of film Kochadaiiyaan in Mumbai. ...

Soundarya Rajinikanth says India should be able to boast about making a performance-capture film, and is looking forward to the release of Kochadaiiyaan that stars her father, superstar Rajinikanth. The debut director talks about mixed emotions while directing her father, dealing with new technology, life as the daughter of a superstar and why she didn't take up acting.

Being the daughters of a superstar, both you and your sister — Aishwarya — could have easily become actors. What stopped you?Did I get offers (to star in movies)? Yes, after I returned from Australia, four-five years ago. But I’m a creative person and I’d rather call the shots than take instructions. Dad wasn’t for us getting into acting either.

As a superstar's daughter, did you get treated differently by the film industry, and by fans?We’ve not had privacy since childhood. Going out in Chennai with my dad for a meal means getting recognised and having people come up to talk to us. Life is different for a celebrity family, but we’re happy because dad is who he is due to the love of the people.

Growing up, what kind of fanfare have you been witness to?One instance I’ll never forget is watching a Japanese man react to seeing dad. At a dinner, the restaurant manager told us that the CEO of a big company, who had tried several times to meet him, was at the bar. When dad went up to meet him, he fell on his feet. We had tears in our eyes seeing the love, and how he hugged him and cried. I’ve seen a lot of people do that, but to have someone from another country and culture show so much love is unforgettable.

Do you think that the high cost of your film will be recovered due to his stardom?This is the first such film in India. Abroad, such films have been made on ten times the budget we have. It’s more expensive than a regular live-action film, but we have a good cast and we are confident of recovering the money. The film has the Rajinikanth masala that people expect. A big-budget film needs that kind of magnet, and no one other than dad can break the myth that animation in India means cartoons.